Changeable type



March 14, 1967 F. H. CANNY ETAL 3,308,916

CHANGEABLE TYPE Filed May 17, 1965 INVENTORS: FLOYD H. CANNY AARON C. ZEAMER AGENT United States Patent 3,308,916 CHANGEABLE TYPE Floyd H. Canny, Syracuse, and Aaron C. Zearner, Groton, N.Y., assignors to SCM Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 17, 1965, Ser. No. 456,289 3 Claims. (Cl. 197-36) This invention relates to type bars for typewriting machines and more particularly to an improved type bar assembly having removable and interchangeable type elements.

Many forms of changeable type are disclosed by patents such as 3,101,141 issued to F. H. Canny on August 20, 1963, the inventor of the present application; 2,975,881 issued to G. Delponte et al. on Mar. 21, 1961; 1,401,471 issued to A. Hering on Dec. 27, 1921; and 12,711 (British) issued to Henlein et al. on July 28, 1904.

None of the above listed patents disclose a type bar having an end that fits within a hollow type element and is provided with a recess that is engaged by a matching lug within the type element to prevent lateral, or up and down movement of the type element relative to the type bar such as disclosed in the present invention. Neither do any of the aforementioned patents disclose the concept of a spring, disposed within a hollow removable type element to assemble the head and type bar in firm engagement as disclosed in the present invention.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved removable type element which, when assembled to a type bar, is positively held in alignment against displacement by the centrifugal or impact forces which accompany normal typing operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved removable type element which is so mounted on the type bar that the width of the type element is not increased beyond the width of conventional type.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved removable type element which can be installed or removed quickly and easily from the type bar by the operator without the need of special tools.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved removable type bar element having an abutment for preventing accidental removal of the element when the type bar assembly is actuated under adverse conditions.

Further novel features and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred structure and embodiment in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View showing the improved removable type element assembled to the type bar according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the construction of the type element and its assembly;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the type bar and type element positions just prior to engagement.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 the type bar has an upper end 12 to which the type element 14 is rigidly assembled.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the type element assembly 14, is mainly comprised of a front striking face '16 with type characters thereon and two adjacent side walls 18 and 20 which create a channel or hollow for admission of the type bar upper end 12. An integral locating lug 22 projects from the back surface 24 of the 3,3 08,916 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 front striking face 16 which, when mated with a co operating recess 26 in the upper end 12 of the type bar 10, insures proper vertical alignment of the type element 14.

A safety pin shaped spring 28 is held in position within the hollow of the type element 14 by means of two pins 30 that are press fitted into and close to the rear corners of the two side walls 18 and 20. The spring 28 is so constructed that the operable end 32 abuts the locating lug 22 before the type element 14 is assembled to the type bar end 12. The type element side wall 20 has a formed abutment 34, which is a lanced portion of the side wall 20, located substantially close to and midway of the upper edge 35. This formed abutment 34 prevent-s an inverted assembly of the type element by the operator and also prevents accidental removal when the type bar assembly is actuated under adverse conditions.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, the type element 14 is assembled to the type bar 10 by placing the element 14 over the type bar end 12 such that the end 12 is positioned between the back side surface 24 and end 32 of spring 28. The type element 14 is then pushed forward and down compressing spring 28 as the locating lug 22 slides along the front aligning edge 36 of the upper end 12 until lug 22 is aligned with slot 26 at which time spring 28 biases element 14 in its assembled position shown by FIGURE 3. Spring 28 insures a positive seating of lug 22 in its matching slot 26 and insure a positive alignment of the type bar front align ing edge 38 with the type element back side surface 24.

Each time a type bar is actuated for a printing stroke, a centrifugal force is exerted on the type element 14 which creates a tendency for the element to fly off the type bar 10. This tendency is greatest when the typewriter is in line lock condition which abruptly blocks the type bar 10 just before type element 14 strikes the paper thus creating an adverse condition for a removable type feature. During this adverse condition, the abrupt blocking of the type bar tends to rock the type element 14 about its lowest contact point 40 and the centrifugal force tends to lift the type element off the type bar 10. The formed abutment 34 is so positioned that when the type element rocks, the formed abutment 34 abuts the upper rear surface 4-2 of the type bar upper end 12 and the locating lug 22 is not permitted to withdraw far enough from its matching slot 26 to permit the type element to fly off the type bar 10.

To remove the type element 14 from the type bar 10 the operator pushes the type element forward without rocking and lifts its from the type bar.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, a lug such as lug 22 may be provided on the end of the type bar 12, and a recess such as recess 26 may be provided in the interior wall 24 of the type element to perform the locking functions described and in the claims where the lug and recess are specified as being on the type bar and element respectively, these claims are deemed to cover the requirement reverse situation described. The present em bodiment is therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A type bar assembly for typewriters or the like comprising:

(a) a removable hollow type element having at least one character formed on a face thereof and having a lug integrally projecting from the back side ,of said face;

(b) a type bar having a lug matching recess near one end and on the front side thereof. for receiving said type element lug when assembled therewith thereby aligning said type element with respect to said type bar;

(c) a spring supported by said type element within the hollow thereof having a free end contacting the rear side of said type bar for securing said type element to said type bar in said aligned relationship; and

(d) an abutment formed from said type element and located adjacent and normally out of contact from the rear side of said type bar to substantially trap said type bar between said lug and said abutment thus preventing accidental removal of said type element from said type bar by said abutment contacting said type bar when the type bar assembly is actuated under adverse conditions.

2. A type bar assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said type bar has an enlarged portion extending rearward I of said recess and wherein said abutment is so located as to be contacted by said type bar enlarged portion to prevent accidental assembly of said type element in up- 1 side down relationship with said type bar.

3. A type bar assembly for typewriters or the like comprising:

(a) a type bar having a recess therein;

(b) a type element selectively removably mounted on 4 said type ba'r and having a hollow portion for receiving said type bar;

(c) a projecting integral lug within said type element hollow portion to match said recess for aligning said type element with respect to said type bar when assembled therewith;

(d) a spring for securing said type bar and said type element in said aligned relationship; and

(e) anchoring means carried by said type element for supporting said spring within said hollow portion including a pair of spaced apart pins, said spring having an anchor portion connected to each of said pins and having a free end contacting said type bar at a point to apply a biasing force substantially in alignment with said abutment and said recess.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 660,287 10/1900 Briggs et al 19736 1,090,597 3/1914 Busz 197-36 1,357,573 11/1920 Lee a- 197-36 1,776,246 9/1930 Aldritt 197--36 X 2,098,780 11/1937 Helrnond 19736 2,171,470 8/1939 Munoz 197--36 2,862,592 12/1958 Redmond 197-36 2,975,881 3/1961 Delporte et a1. 19736 3,101,141 8/1963 Canny 19736 ROBERT E. PULFR-EY, Primary Examiner.

DAVID KLEIN, E. S. BURR, Assistant Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,308,916 lfifi i 33 Inventofls) l yd enny nd aropf am It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 15: "abutment" should read lug Signed and sealed this 30th day of May 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Atte sting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-105D {IO-69) USCOMM-DC wan-Po 9 US GOVIINICNY PRINTING OPTIC: IO! 0-!i-1] 

1. A TYPE BAR ASSEMBLY FOR TYPEWRITERS OR THE LIKE COMPRISING: (A) A REMOVABLE HOLLOW TYPE ELEMENT HAVING AT LEAST ONE CHARACTER FORMED ON A FACE THEREOF AND HAVING A LUG INTERGALLY PROJECTING FROM THE BACK SIDE OF SAID FACE; (B) A TYPE BAR HAVING A LUG MATCHING RECESS NEAR ONE END AND ON THE FRONT SIDE THEREOF FOR RECEIVING SAID TYPE ELEMENT LUG WHEN ASSEMBLED THEREWITH THEREBY ALIGNING SAID TYPE ELEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID TYPE BAR; (C) A SPRING SUPPORTED BY SAID TYPE ELEMENT WITHIN THE HOLLOW THEREOF HAVING A FREE END CONTACTING THE REAR SIDE OF SAID TYPE BAR FOR SECURING SAID TYPE ELEMENT TO SAID TYPE BAR IN SAID ALIGNED RELATIONSHIP; AND (D) AN ABUTMENT FORMED FROM SAID TYPE ELEMENT AND LOCATED ADJACENT AND NORMALLY OUT OF CONTACT FROM THE REAR SIDE OF SAID TYPE BAR TO SUBSTANTIALLY TRAP SAID TYPE BAR BETWEEN SAID LUG AND SAID ABUTMENT THUS PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL REMOVAL OF SAID TYPE ELEMENT FROM SAID TYPE BAR BY SAID ABUTMENT CONTACTING SAID TYPE BAR WHEN THE TYPE BAR ASSEMBLY IS ACTUATED UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS. 